I cant see your build since you only provided the data chunk and I dont have Mids handy. So my comments will be general.
First, I would not swap out the purple confuse set If you want defense, esp ranged defense. If anything, you should consider using both (in diff powers). Maybe put Will of the Controller in Vines or in the Sleep power (if you have room).
Anyway, defense is not a waste, but I would focus specifically on *ranged* defense simply to make alpha retaliations (whoever your controls miss) a safer scenario. I would still prefer recharge as first priority, however.
I cant see your build, but if you took box/tough/weave, and hover (perhaps) and maneuvers and used the steadfast global in tough and at least 2 blessing of the zephyr in hover, you would have 16.5% ranged defense. The purple confuse set in seeds, the will of the controller in vines, and the expedient reinforcement set in fly trap will push your ranged defense to 27.91. That is non-trivial. And with luck of the gamblers in weave, maneuvers, and hover, plus the sets already mentioned, you would already have 47.5% global recharge.
5-slotting heal other, regen aura, and adrenaline boost, along with 6-slotting numina in heal aura, brings ranged defense to 31.66 & global recharge to 62.5. Add a second slot to super speed (or fly) and use 2 blessing of the zephyr and you are at 32.91%. That is the point where even a small defense inspiration will push ranged def to the soft cap.
And you *still* have places left to pick up recharge and ranged defense.
So, you can get decent numbers on ranged defense and still function well. Recharge should still be the main focus.
Good luck!
Lewis
Random AT Generation!
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OK thanks for those ideas. I went back and rearranged a few skills and played around with the build overall. I have never been a big fan of hover though, so I put in combat jumping instead which I believe accomplishes the same thing. Tactics was more of an idea for how much I wanted this char. to be a group character but that was an easy drop decision.
The totals and much better, although they are still rather low (23.8% listed for S/L defense but I think may still be ok and range jumped to 30) I left Vines blank as the ATO sets are not in mids yet, so that will put ranged up to 35% if what I read was correct.
Also.. I was not sure what to do with Indomitable Will, so what is listed was just me messing around with HO's to see if they would be worth anything.
Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.953
http://www.cohplanner.com/
Click this DataLink to open the build!
Level 50 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Plant Control
Secondary Power Set: Empathy
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Leaping
Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery
Hero Profile:
Level 1: Strangler
- (A) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold
- (5) Basilisk's Gaze - Endurance/Recharge/Hold
- (7) Basilisk's Gaze - Accuracy/Hold
- (7) Lockdown - Chance for +2 Mag Hold
- (A) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance
- (3) Numina's Convalescence - Endurance/Recharge
- (3) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Recharge
- (5) Numina's Convalescence - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (34) Numina's Convalescence - Heal
- (50) Numina's Convalescence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
- (A) HamiO:Nucleolus Exposure
- (9) HamiO:Nucleolus Exposure
- (9) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
- (11) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
- (11) Recharge Reduction IO
- (13) Trap of the Hunter - Chance of Damage(Lethal)
- (A) Harmonized Healing - Heal/Endurance
- (13) Harmonized Healing - Endurance/Recharge
- (15) Harmonized Healing - Heal/Recharge
- (15) Harmonized Healing - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (34) Harmonized Healing - Heal
- (A) Lethargic Repose - Accuracy/Sleep
- (36) Lethargic Repose - Accuracy/Sleep/Recharge
- (36) Lethargic Repose - Accuracy/Recharge
- (A) Coercive Persuasion - Confused
- (17) Coercive Persuasion - Confused/Recharge
- (17) Coercive Persuasion - Accuracy/Confused/Recharge
- (19) Coercive Persuasion - Accuracy/Recharge
- (19) Coercive Persuasion - Confused/Endurance
- (21) Coercive Persuasion - Contagious Confusion
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (21) Recharge Reduction IO
- (34) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
- (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
- (23) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
- (25) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Empty
- (25) Empty
- (27) Empty
- (27) Empty
- (29) Empty
- (29) Empty
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
- (33) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Recharge
- (37) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
- (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
- (A) Gift of the Ancients - Defense
- (39) Gift of the Ancients - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
- (40) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (A) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Recharge
- (31) Enfeebled Operation - Endurance/Immobilize
- (31) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Endurance
- (31) Enfeebled Operation - Immobilize/Range
- (33) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize/Recharge
- (33) Enfeebled Operation - Accuracy/Immobilize
- (A) Recharge Reduction IO
- (39) Recharge Reduction IO
- (39) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
- (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
- (A) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Recharge
- (40) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage
- (40) Expedient Reinforcement - Damage/Endurance
- (42) Expedient Reinforcement - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (42) Expedient Reinforcement - Endurance/Damage/Recharge
- (42) Expedient Reinforcement - Resist Bonus Aura for Pets
- (A) Miracle - Heal/Endurance
- (36) Miracle - Endurance/Recharge
- (37) Miracle - Heal/Recharge
- (43) Miracle - Heal/Endurance/Recharge
- (43) Miracle - Heal
- (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod
- (46) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
- (48) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
- (48) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
- (50) Recharge Reduction IO
- (A) Ruin - Accuracy/Damage
- (43) Ruin - Damage/Endurance
- (45) Ruin - Damage/Recharge
- (45) Ruin - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
- (45) Ruin - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
- (A) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (46) HamiO:Ribosome Exposure
- (46) Hydra:Electron Particles
- (A) Resist Damage IO
- (48) Resist Damage IO
- (A) Defense Buff IO
- (50) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
------------
Level 2: Swift
- (A) Run Speed IO
- (A) Miracle - +Recovery
- (A) Jumping IO
- (A) Endurance Modification IO
- (A) Empty
Level 1: Sprint
- (A) Empty
- (A) Empty
------------
Set Bonus Totals:
- 7% DamageBuff(Smashing)
- 7% DamageBuff(Lethal)
- 7% DamageBuff(Fire)
- 7% DamageBuff(Cold)
- 7% DamageBuff(Energy)
- 7% DamageBuff(Negative)
- 7% DamageBuff(Toxic)
- 7% DamageBuff(Psionic)
- 10.81% Defense(Smashing)
- 10.81% Defense(Lethal)
- 5.81% Defense(Fire)
- 5.81% Defense(Cold)
- 13.31% Defense(Energy)
- 13.31% Defense(Negative)
- 3% Defense(Psionic)
- 9.25% Defense(Melee)
- 17.06% Defense(Ranged)
- 8.62% Defense(AoE)
- 3% Enhancement(Immobilize)
- 50% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 4% Enhancement(Confused)
- 4% Enhancement(Sleep)
- 14% Enhancement(Heal)
- 5% FlySpeed
- 95.38 HP (9.38%) HitPoints
- 5% JumpHeight
- 5% JumpSpeed
- MezResist(Confused) 4.15%
- MezResist(Held) 5.8%
- MezResist(Immobilize) 5.25%
- MezResist(Sleep) 2.5%
- MezResist(Stun) 2.5%
- MezResist(Terrorized) 4.15%
- 17% (0.28 End/sec) Recovery
- 32% (1.36 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 10% Resistance(Smashing)
- 10% Resistance(Lethal)
- 10% Resistance(Fire)
- 10% Resistance(Cold)
- 10% Resistance(Energy)
- 11.88% Resistance(Negative)
- 10% Resistance(Toxic)
- 10% Resistance(Psionic)
- 5% RunSpeed
- 1% XPDebtProtection
Set Bonuses:
Basilisk's Gaze
(Strangler)
- 2.5% Defense(Energy,Negative), 1.25% Defense(Ranged)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
(Healing Aura)
- 12% (0.51 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 19.08 HP (1.88%) HitPoints
- 6% Enhancement(Heal)
- MezResist(Held) 3.3%
- 3.75% Defense(Ranged), 1.88% Defense(Energy), 1.88% Defense(Negative)
(Roots)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
(Heal Other)
- 1.5% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
- MezResist(Confused) 1.65%
- 3% Enhancement(Heal)
- 1.88% Defense(AoE), 0.94% Defense(Fire), 0.94% Defense(Cold)
(Spore Burst)
- 4% Enhancement(Sleep)
- 1.88% Defense(Energy,Negative), 0.94% Defense(Ranged)
(Seeds of Confusion)
- 4% (0.07 End/sec) Recovery
- 4% Enhancement(Confused)
- 4% DamageBuff(All)
- 10% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 5% Defense(Ranged), 2.5% Defense(Energy), 2.5% Defense(Negative)
(Boxing)
- MezResist(Immobilize) 2.75%
- 15.26 HP (1.5%) HitPoints
- 3.75% Defense(Smashing,Lethal), 1.88% Defense(Melee)
(Fortitude)
- 10% (0.42 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 11.45 HP (1.13%) HitPoints
- 9% Enhancement(Accuracy)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Tough)
- 3% Defense(Melee), 3% Defense(AoE), 3% Defense(Ranged), 3% Defense(Smashing), 3% Defense(Lethal), 3% Defense(Fire), 3% Defense(Cold), 3% Defense(Energy), 3% Defense(Negative), 3% Defense(Psionic)
(Weave)
- 2% (0.03 End/sec) Recovery
(Weave)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Carrion Creepers)
- 3% Enhancement(Immobilize)
- 1.88% Resistance(Negative)
- 2.5% Defense(Smashing,Lethal), 1.25% Defense(Melee)
- 3.75% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 3.13% Defense(Melee), 1.56% Defense(Lethal), 1.56% Defense(Smashing)
(Maneuvers)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
(Fly Trap)
- Status Resistance 2.5%
- 3% DamageBuff(All)
- 6.25% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
- 10% (0.42 HP/sec) Regeneration
- 3.13% Defense(Ranged), 1.56% Defense(Energy), 1.56% Defense(Negative)
- 10% Resistance(All)
(Regeneration Aura)
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
- 19.08 HP (1.88%) HitPoints
- 5% Enhancement(Heal)
- 1.88% Defense(AoE), 0.94% Defense(Fire), 0.94% Defense(Cold)
(Adrenalin Boost)
- 5% JumpSpeed, 5% JumpHeight, 5% FlySpeed, 5% RunSpeed
- 19.08 HP (1.88%) HitPoints
- 2.5% (0.04 End/sec) Recovery
(Mental Blast)
- MezResist(Terrorized) 1.65%
- 11.45 HP (1.13%) HitPoints
- 1% XPDebtProtection
- 1.88% Defense(AoE), 0.94% Defense(Fire), 0.94% Defense(Cold)
(Combat Jumping)
- 7.5% Enhancement(RechargeTime)
Unfortunately I've no access to Mids at the moment but I'll toss some thoughts out primarily about the Empathy side of things (where I have a ton of experience) and a bit about the controller side (lots of controller experience overall but less Plant specifically).
First off to quote UnicyclePeon:
Quote:
Empaths thrive on recharge. On an Empath I want recharge, recharge and more recharge. I want perma-Hasten (at least on a high end build) and I want those Auras seeing downtimes in the range of 35-50 seconds prior to outside buffs. Then I'll worry about getting what defense if any I have. And as a footnote I play very offensive Emps. Their 'defense' is almost entirely from other sources of mitigation --> inspires, teammates, accolades, Regen Aura and mezzing them first (which as a controller Emp you already have a HUGE leg up on my defenders). If you go with Indomitable Will then you have yet another very large reason to seek very high recharge rates in your build as I would be looking to make IW perma as well and that requires extremely high recharge rates. IW will give you substantial mez protection, no stun, hold, confuse, terrorize or sleep will likely get you any more than your typical melee character. But the second it drops (even if it's less than a second) any mezzes on you will take effect as well as any that land until you can click to activate IW again. Hence ideally you want it perma.| Recharge should still be the main focus. |
Strangler - get the 4th Basilisk and the 7.5% recharge bonus
Healing Aura and Heal Other - Generally 5 slotted with Doctored Wounds for the 5% recharge bonus.
Spore Burst - if I took the Sleep it would be for the cheaper Purple set for the 10% recharge bonus at 5 slots
Resurrect - With the recharge I'd be getting I'd be more likely to drop an Endred in here particularly since Vigilance is not working for you. Coming up with 26 end if your Auras are down and you really want a teammate upright NOW! can be a lot of endurance.
Hasten - Again with the recharge I'd be aiming for 2 slots might be overkill (especially if running Spiritual as your Alpha) 3 slots shouldn't be needed outside of exemplar status, freeing up one (or more) slots for elsewhere.
Fortitude - While I would certainly enhance Defense first then the To Hit I would also like to have both since there's no Tactics here. I'd want the To Hit for buffing Fly Trap (as well as the defense). Note that Tactics, Fortitude and Vengeance can all take Rectified Reticle which with 2 slots has a S/L defense bonus and both Fort and Vengeance can take LotG +7.5% recharge.
Recovery Aura - fine as is but often these days I find myself going Rech, Endmod/Rech, Endmod/Rech for very tiny loss in net recharge for a nice boost to +recovery.
Weave and Maneuvers - I'd be using 2 slots minimum here (more if could come up with them) using LotG Def, Def/Inc Recharge and likely some enhancement boosters if I had them (plus Def/Endred if I could get the slots freed).
Regen Aura - another Doctored Wounds
Adrenaline Boost - Enhance the regen aspect first and foremost. The Perf Shifter +End proc is far as I know would be a waste in this power ... it'll fire once when you cast AB at the most (which will be a potential +End every 80-90 seconds or so) That and the +regen portion of the boost is what is you really want out of this power. Use a 6th slot to enhance endmod portion for counter nuke crashes ... the other 5 I would typically go 5 Doctored Wounds.
Mental Blast - Decimation for the 6.25% recharge
Indomitable Will - max the heck out of the recharge in the power, this combined with all the global recharge you can muster is what will give you a shot at dropping the powers recharge to perma status. And whenever you doubt the goal think of what having a mez free controller is worth ... like taking a Destiny other than Clarion (say Barrier for the defense) or having to always keep several break free on hand.
Lastly it's killing me to not be able to fiddle in Mids. I did come up with a Emp/Fire defender build with strong typed and positional defenses (32+) who while didn't have the crazy recharge needed for IW did have the recharge for perma/near perma Hasten and a global recharge only about 10% off the purely high recharge build so the idea of having the high global recharge and solid defenses isn't necessarily out of the picture particularly when adding Incarnates into the mix. (See the 14th and 15th post in this thread -> http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=277697)
I have been playing a couple of characters now almost exclusively and have been looking at making a third. As I have been grouping up, I started leaning toward a plant/emp controller just from a playability standpoint of wanting a char. that was great for grouping.
The problem I ran into with this character set was one of defense. I know some people believe that a controller (especially in a group situation) does not need to be maxed out on defense like say a melee or blaster might, and I tend to agree. (at least to a point)
Below is the build I had as a 'target' build. It was expensive and had the tools to bring a lot of good things to a group. With ATO's, I can safely replace the slotting of seeds of confusion and save a bunch there. I already have four of the unbreakable for strangler, so am on my way to making this a reality and have since leveled her to 29.
My question is this: will the basement values of defense be a showstopper for this AT? If so, what changes would you make to alleviate some of the pain I forsee in the future? I would really like to not get to the point where I am just spamming heal aura to keep up with the incoming damage since I do not have a self single target heal and cannot fort myself.